Proposed Ordinance No. 905
PREFACE
The Ballot Title below (Caption, Question, and Summary) references proposed Ordinance No. 905. That Ordinance consists of the Ordinance text itself, as well as 2 exhibits: Exhibit A - Town Center Development District Plan; and Exhibit B - Accompanying Report to the Town Center Development District Plan. Each document can be accessed using the following links:
The Caption and Question below will be printed on the ballot. The Elections Officials in Clackamas and Washington counties may also choose to print the Summary on the ballot if space allows. The full Ballot Title (Caption, Question, Summary) will appear in the voters' pamphlet in both counties, together with the Explanatory Statement.
BALLOT TITLE
CAPTION
Vote to approve the Wilsonville Town Center Development District.
QUESTION
Should the City adopt proposed Ordinance No. 905 establishing the Wilsonville Town Center Development District, an urban renewal district?
SUMMARY
This measure would approve adoption of Ordinance No. 905 establishing the Wilsonville Town Center Development District, an urban renewal district under Oregon law, to address blight and help fund improvements within the district boundary. To read the Ordinance, go to https://www.wilsonvilleoregon.gov/ord-905.
The measure authorizes the use of tax increment financing (TIF), a funding tool available under Oregon's Urban Renewal laws. TIF is not a new tax or tax rate increase. Instead, future growth in assessed property values within the district generates revenue used to help fund eligible projects, while taxing districts continue receiving property tax revenues based on current assessed values.
The Town Center Development District proposes to help fund:
Gathering Spaces, Parking:
- Streetscapes, plazas for outdoor dining and events
- Parking facilities, traffic mitigation improvements
Small Business, Economic Development:
- Incentives for new restaurants, food carts, and small local businesses
Infrastructure:
- Landscaped streets, sidewalks, and other improvements supporting new development in Town Center
Plan Details:
- Maximum indebtedness (spending cap) of $152 million ($85.5 M in today's dollars)
- Structured as smaller borrowings over time
- 28-year duration
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
This measure asks whether the City of Wilsonville should adopt Ordinance No. 905 creating the Town Center Development District (the "District"), an urban renewal district established under Oregon law. If approved, the Ordinance would adopt the Town Center Development District Plan (the "Plan") and authorize the use of tax increment financing to address blight and help fund eligible projects identified in the Plan.
Full Text & Documents
Additional information, including Ordinance No. 905, the Plan, and the accompanying Report, is available at https://www.wilsonvilleoregon.gov/ord-905.
What would the District do?
The Town Center Plan, adopted in 2019 following a multi-year public engagement process, establishes a long-term vision for the area. The proposed Plan would provide one financing tool—tax increment financing (urban renewal)—to help fund programs and public improvements supporting that vision.
The proposed District includes property within and adjacent to Town Center Loop and the Village at Main commercial area south of Wilsonville Road.
Private development projects (new buildings) would remain subject to applicable land use review, building permits, fees, and other City approvals.
What projects could be funded?
The Plan identifies eligible public projects and programs, including:
- Parks and public gathering spaces
- Parking facilities
- Economic development programs, incentives for a food cart pod and small businesses
- Transportation, sidewalk, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements
- Utility infrastructure
Together, these projects are intended to address blight and facilitate redevelopment.
How does tax increment financing work?
Tax increment financing uses growth in assessed property values within the District, occurring after its creation, to repay debt issued for eligible projects. The portion of tax revenues attributable to growth within the District is called ‘tax increment.’
The measure would not establish a new property tax or increase existing property tax rates.
The Plan authorizes up to $152 million in principal indebtedness, borrowed in portions over time, with tax increment collection anticipated for 28 years, through fiscal year 2056.
What is the development forecast?
The technical Report accompanying the Plan assumes gradual redevelopment, including 2,381 housing units and 1.1 million square feet of new commercial development.
The Report also assumes the District's taxable assessed value could increase from approximately $206 million in 2027 to approximately $1.7 billion if forecasted redevelopment occurs.
These assumptions are used for financial planning and analysis. They do not approve, require, or guarantee that redevelopment or future assessed values will occur as forecast.
After the District closes, tax increment collection stops and the full assessed value of the area would be available to all taxing districts. This new, larger tax base becomes a part of the fiscal foundation for future public services.
What happens next?
If this measure passes, the City will undertake the required statutory steps to consider adoption of Ordinance No. 905 – namely, conferring with overlapping taxing districts, a public hearing before the Planning Commission, public notice, and a public hearing before the City Council.
If the measure fails, the District will not be created at this time.
